Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau said that Cam Fowler — the club’s top defenseman, out since Mar. 14 with a knee injury — will return to action this week, per the OC Register.

Fowler, 22, has missed the last 12 games with an MCL sprain and is hoping to draw back into the Ducks lineup either on Wednesday (versus San Jose) or for one of the team’s final two games over the weekend — Saturday in Los Angeles, or Sunday at home against Colorado.

“Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone. Cam is one of those guys,” Boudreau said, per the Register. “He doesn’t put up unbelievable numbers. But he plays against the other team’s best offensive players.

“He can skate. And on the power play, he moves the puck. He’s been a hard guy for our team to replace. Probably as hard as anybody to replace.”

Fowler was enjoying a fantastic season in Anaheim prior to getting hurt, leading all Ducks defensemen in a number of significant statistical categories: TOI per game (24:54), points (36), power-play points (15) and takeaways (24). He also sat third on the club in blocked shots (118) and was a key member of the defense for the U.S. team that participated in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.